How to Make Your Podcast Image Stand Out
Looking Good!
Sometimes before a listener even hears one second of your podcast, the only thing that makes them click on it in the sea of other podcasts is the artwork. Let's talk about how to create a podcast image that stands out from the crowd.
Let's start with the important details that are also kind of boring. A podcast image is square. Apple Podcasts requires it to be at least 1400 x 1400 pixels up to 3000 x 3000 pixels. When you're creating your image or having someone else create your image, we would default to the 3000 x 3000 pixel size, because you can always scale an image down but you can't scale an image up without losing some detail. You've probably seen someone use a pixelated image before it doesn't look very professional. It looks like that because someone has scaled it up. So default to the larger size.
Your image should be at least 72 dpi. DPI stands for dots per inch. That's your image's resolution. 72 dpi is good for screens. But we would actually recommend creating the image in 300 dpi. That's good for printing. You'll probably be printing your image at some point for signs or business cards, merch, so on, so it's a good idea to have it in 300 dpi. Again, you can always scale down, but you can't scale up.
JPEG and PNG file types will both work. But JPEGs are smaller file types, so that's ideal for uploading and downloading purposes.
And lastly, you'll want your image in RBG color space. If you don't already know RBG stands for red, blue, green, which is the color space typically used for screens. Did you ever sit too close to your TV when you were younger? You probably saw that all the lights on the screen were red, blue, and green, and that's what makes up the image.
Now let's talk about the fun stuff, the actual design of your image. The most important thing to include in your image is the title of the podcast. You want the title to be large and easy to read. When people are scrolling through their favorite podcast listening app, you want them to be able to quickly see what the name of your podcast is.
The image that also convey what the podcast is about, or give the viewer a certain feeling. Some examples, you'll notice a lot of true crime podcasts give off kind of an eerie feeling. Movie podcasts usually include popcorn, tickets, projectors, something to indicate to the listener what the podcast is about.
Your image can be in photo, illustration, or even be as simple as just the text. That comes down to your preference.
Netflix has actually done a lot of research on what types of images make people click on a show. They found that images with 1-3 people drew people in, especially with those with some sort of emotion because that can convey a lot of complex nuances.
This is also a good instance for you to be different. Take a look at other people's podcasts in your category and see what they're doing. Then do the opposite. If all the financial podcasts images are green, make yours red, it will stand out.
So how do you make a podcast image? Well, you can hire an artist like a photographer, graphic designer, or illustrator to make your image. But if your budget doesn't allow for it, you can also make the image yourself. We would recommend checking out canva.com. It has a ton of free templates that you can use. They're not sponsoring this, just a great free online tool we would recommend.
TL;DR
The recommended specifications for your podcast image is:
3000 x 3000 pixels
300 dpi
JPEG
RGB color space.
Some design tips:
Make sure that the title is large and legible.
Indicate what the show is about.
Human faces showing emotion can convey a lot of information.
Don't be afraid to be different.